November 14, 2001

Contact:

Sarah Ray

802-443-5794

sray@middlebury.edu

Posted: November 14, 2001

MIDDLEBURY,

VT - In an effort to improve the likelihood of

survival for an on-campus victim of sudden cardiac arrest,

Middlebury College has purchased two automatic external

defibrillators (AEDs). The AEDs will be used by trained

members of the College’s department of public safety to

resuscitate a victim prior to the arrival of the town of

Middlebury’s volunteer ambulance squad.

Following

American Heart Association guidelines, Middlebury College

established a Public Access Defibrillation Program. The

program includes physician oversight, regular training of

lay rescuers, and maintenance of the AEDs. It was designed

to encourage collaboration between the College and local

emergency medical services in response to a cardiac arrest.

Peter Newton, operations manager of the Middlebury Volunteer

Ambulance Association said, “The College’s program is a

great addition that could increase survival by decreasing

response time for defibrillation.” He noted that similar

programs are now being established across the country as

technology improves and is now available to trained lay

responders.

According to

Dr. Mark Peluso, Middlebury College physician, sudden

cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death among

adults in North America. Each year, it claims the lives of

an estimated 225,000 in the United States alone which means

that once every one or two minutes, another American

succumbs suddenly and without warning.

Peluso

pointed out that, though the average victim is about 65

years old, some victims are in their 30s or 40s. For many,

there is no previous history of heart problems. Sudden

cardiac arrest is often the first symptom.

When sudden

cardiac arrest occurs, most victims have an abnormal heart

rhythm called ventricular fibrillation that results in a

lack of circulation to the heart and the brain. If the heart

is shocked quickly with a defibrillator, a normal heart

rhythm may be restored in a process called

defibrillation.

“The shorter the time between a person’s collapse and the

time that defibrillation takes place, the better the chances

of that victim’s survival,” said Peluso.

Lisa Boudah,

director of Middlebury College public safety, emphasized,

“The new defibrillators are just one link in the chain of

survival. Since time is critical, the key step is early

notification. We urge our community to call 911 immediately

in an emergency.”